Victory at Rawmarsh

Teachers at Rawmarsh Community School in Rotherham have struck a significant blow in the battle against job cuts by saving the last remaining job under threat.

Although NUT rep Ralph Dyson will not be returned to full-time work, the threat of redundancy has been withdrawn and Ralph has been offered a 2.5 day-per-week contract (he will also be on 1.5 days union facility time).

The dispute has been long-running and shows very clearly what is possible when unions take action in pursuit of specific, clear demands (in this case, no redundancies) rather than striking simply to register a protest at this or that action by management.

Rawmarsh has sent a message; already, another local school has withdrawn a plan for eight job cuts.